What's happening
This bill requires businesses using electric bicycles to ensure employees and contractors complete an annual online safety course video.
Why it matters
Mandates employer responsibility for e-bike safety. Businesses must ensure not only employees but also independent contractors who use or might use electric bicycles complete the safety training, broadening accountability beyond traditional employees.
Focuses on practical, up-to-date safety education. The required video must cover real-world safety topics—such as traffic interaction, pedestrian safety, battery handling, and secure storage—and must be reviewed and updated annually to reflect current best practices.
Establishes clear enforcement and penalties. The Attorney General can impose civil penalties of up to $1,000 per untrained worker or contractor, creating a financial incentive for compliance and allowing for investigation and enforcement through subpoenas.
Potentially impacts gig economy and delivery services. By explicitly including independent contractors, the law targets businesses that rely on flexible or app-based labor—such as food delivery platforms—ensuring safety training reaches a large, high-risk segment of the urban workforce.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require E-Bike Safety Videos
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1254
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. BORES, SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating an online safety course video for bicycles with electric assist
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "electric bicycle instruction and knowledge ensures safety (E-BIKES) act".
§ 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 1244 to read as follows:
§ 1244. Online safety course video for bicycles with electric assist. 1. Businesses that use bicycles with electric assist shall require all employees whose jobs include or could reasonably be expected to include riding a bicycle with electric assist and all independent contractors whose jobs include or could reasonably be expected to include riding a bicycle with electric assist to view an online safety course video on bicycles with electric assist, as created pursuant to subdivision two of this section.
2. (a) Within twelve months of the effective date of this section, the department shall be required to create and approve an online safety course video for businesses to provide to all employees whose jobs include or could reasonably be expected to include riding a bicycle with electric assist and all independent contractors whose jobs include or could reasonably be expected to include riding a bicycle with electric assist pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
(b) Such video shall cover topics related to how to safely own and operate bicycles with electric assist, including but not limited to how to operate such bicycles in traffic and safely around pedestrians, safely using batteries for such bicycles, and best practices for buying and storing such bicycles.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02267-01-5
(c) The department shall make such video freely and easily available on the department's website.
(d) The department shall review such video no less than every twelve months in order to ensure that its content remains consistent with best practices. Upon completing each review, the department shall update the video in whatever manner is necessary to make its content and recommendations conform to current best practices.
3. It shall be unlawful for a business to allow any employee or independent contractor to perform a task for such business that involves riding a bicycle with electric assist, or could reasonably be expected to involve riding a bicycle with electric assist, unless such employee or contractor has viewed the online safety course video within the previous calendar year.
4. The attorney general shall be authorized to impose a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars on a business for each person who has not viewed the online safety course video within the previous calendar year who such business employs or contracts to perform a task that involves, or could reasonably be expected to involve, riding a bicycle with electric assist. The attorney general shall be authorized to take proof and make a determination of the relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the civil practice law and rules.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 1244 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by section one of this act, shall take effect eighteen months after this act shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.